Bomb casing



2, 9 J. c. WHITESELL, JR 2,366,374

BOMB CASING Filed June 18, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Jb7m 5, WhZ'Z eSeZZ J7",

ATTORNEY Jan. 2, 1945. J c I JR 2,366,374

BOMB GAS ING Filed June 18, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented .Fan. 2, 1945 BOMB CASING John C. Whitesell, Jr., Norristown, Pa., assignor to Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 18, 1941, Serial No. 398,560

2 Claims.

This invention relates to casings for bombs and the like used in aerial warfare.

It has been the practice heretofore to fabricate bomb casings and the like from sheet metal, particularly chemical and incendiary bombs, but the methods of fabrication heretofore employed entail innumerable costly, time-consuming operations and the use of skilled labor.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a bomb casing of new and improved yet simple construction which is adapted for low-cost quantity production.

Another object is to provide a bomb casing which can be rapidly and easily fabricated from sheet metal with a minimum of machine operations and wit out the use of skilled labor.

A further object is to provide a new and improved method of fabricating bomb casings entailing simple yet low-cost operations whereby speedy production is greatly facilitated.

With the above and other objects in view, which from the following detailed description will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, the present invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts to be described with reference to the accompanying drawings and then claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one of the longitudinal half sections of the bomb casing;

Figure 2 is a front end elevation of the casing section illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a side suspension lug used in connection with the bomb casing;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the stabilizing fins;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the mounting means for the stabilizin fins;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a completely assembled bomb casing;

Figure '7 is a rear end view of the assembled bomb casing;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the bomb casing embodying certain modifications;

Figure 9 is a side elevation of a bomb casing of further modified construction, particularly showing a modified fin construction; and

Figure 10 is a rear end elevation of the bomb casing shown in Figure 9.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, the bomb casing shown in Figures 1 to 7, inclusive, is of the character used in chemical warfare and comprises a body [5 having a leading end IS, a trailing end [1, and a plurality of stabilizing legs or fins l8. The casing is also provided with side and rear suspension lugs 19 and 20, respectively. The fins [8 are of simple plate-like construction fabricated from sheet metal.

The body is comprised of longitudinal separated sheet metal halves 2| produced by a simple stamping operation, each half being semicircular in cross-section. Each half 2] is formed with a radial outwardly extending marginal flange 22 which extends continuously around the edge thereof except for a semi-circular depression 23 at the leading end I 6, as shown in Figure 1. The flange 22 at the trailing end I! is extended rearwardly and provided with an opening 24 therethrough which in the completed structure forms the rear suspension lug 20. If desired, such suspension lug need be formed in only one of the body halves 2|.

The two body halves 2| are arranged to be secured together with their respective flanges 22 in face-to-face relation. Before this is done, however, one of the halves is provided with a filler opening 25 at the trailing end ll. Also, each half 2| is provided with a fin l8 which is secured to the trailing end I! thereof on the convex sur-' face midway between the marginalside flanges 22 by means of a sheet metal angle member 26. one flange of which is spot welded to the fin l8 and the other flange of which is spot welded to the body half, as indicated at 21 in Figure 6.

The two halves 2| are then positioned together with the flanges 22 in abutting relation and electrically seam welded through the abutting flanges. It is to be noted that the flanges 22 are so arranged that a continuous seam weld 28 is provided throughout the extent of the flanges without removing the same from the welding apparatus. It is to be noted, also, that the continuous seam weld 28 starts adjacent one side of the axial opening provided by the semicircular recesses 23, runs longitudinally along one side of the casing body, rounds the trailing end 11, returning longitudinally along the other side of the casing body and terminating at the opposite side of the axial opening.

After the seam welding operation is completed the other two fins l8 are secured directly to the radial flanges 22 by spot welding, as indicated at 29 in Figure 6.

The. side suspension lug l9 then may be secured in position directly to the radial flanges 22 at one side as indicated at 30 in Figure 6, after which the adaptor 3| for the firing pin or other device is disposed in the axial opening provided by the mating semi-circular recesses 23 and brazed, soldered, or otherwise secured in sealed relation with respect to the walls of the axial opening surrounding the same.

The bomb casing thus completed is ready to be filled with the desired chemicals or other material through the filler opening 25. When this is accomplished the filler opening 25 may be sealed in any suitable manner.

Reviewing the fabrication of the bomb casing described, it is seen that the casing body proper is comprised solely of two identically formed sheet metal stampings and that the assembly of such parts as the stabilizing fins and the side suspension lug is accomplished by well known machine welding operations which can be performed not only with great dispatch but also through the use of unskilled labor, and, in fact, the entire bomb fabrication can be carried out with the use of unskilled labor, the only work required being that of feeding the sheet material to the machines for cutting and stamping of the parts and that of guiding the parts during the. welding operations. It is also to be observed that the continuous electrically welded seam and the brazed or soldered firing pin adaptor provide fluid-tight connections between the body halves and between the firing pin adaptor and surrounding opening.

In the modified construction shown in Figure 8 the casing is comprised of the two halves 2| as previously described. In this construction certain of the operations are eliminated; for example, two of the stabilizing fins l8, instead of being welded to the flanges 22 as in Figure 6, are formed as an integral part, one fin being integral with the flange 22 of one of the body halves and the diametrically opposite fin l8 being integral with the flanges of the other casing half 2|. Also, the side suspension lug I9 is formed integral with the side flange 22 of one of the casing halves. It is seen in this con struction that two forming steps are eliminated and also that three welding operations are eliminated. '1

It is obvious that by forming the body halves of stamped metal in a manner described, bomb casings of different contours may be provided. In Figures 9 and 10 a modified bomb casing 40 is shown as being formed of sheet metal halves assembled in the manner previously described. In this case, however, the casing is provided with a tapering trailing end 4| of frusto-conical formation. A different fin arrangement is provided which is fabricated as a subassembly. The fins 42 trail behind the body proper and have the trailing ends thereof provided with flanges 43 which are secured by welding to a surrounding cylindrical band 44 which terminates in such manner as to provide spaces for the passage of air between the fins 42. This sub-assembbr is then secured as a unit to the body by spot welding the forward ends of two diametrically opposed fins to the body flanges 45 and the other two opposed fins 42 to angle members 46 which previously were secured to the body halves similar to the angle members 26 of Figure 6.

In each of the constructions described the bomb casing is constructed in such manner as to eliminate machine operations and to facilitate production in a rapid economical manner without the necessity of employing highly skilled labor, the aim being that of production in large quantities with a minimum number of operations.

While several forms of the invention have been disclosed in detail, together with modifications and variations thereof, it is to be understood that other specific forms may be employed within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An elongated casing for aerial bombs comprising two interchangeable, longitudinally divided, one-piece stamped metal sections having leading and trailing ends, each section having an integral substantially continuous flange including the diametrically opposite sides and said 30 leading and trailing ends, the flanges of said sections being in face-to-face relation and at said leading end being radially outwardly offset to provide an axial opening therebetween, said flanges being welded together substantially 35 throughout their engagement, an annular adaptor ring disposed in said opening and continuously welded to the portions of said flanges forming said opening, and a plurality of stabilizing fins welded to said casing adjacent the 40 trailing end thereof.

2. An elongated casing for aerial bombs and the. like having a trailing end and a leading end, comprising a pair of longitudinally divided, onepiece stamped metal sections, each section having a substantially continuous flange extending longitudinally along the diametrically opposite sides and across the trailing and leading ends thereof, said flanges being in face-to-face engagement continuously except at said leading end, and at said leading end being radially outwardly offset to provide an axial opening therebetween, said flanges being resistance-welded together, an annular adaptor sleeve disposed in said opening and being continuously welded to the portions of the flanges forming said opening, and a plurality of stabilizing fins adjacent the trailing end of said casing, certain of said fins being welded directly to said flanges and others of said fins being welded to said sections 0 intermediate said flanges.

JOHN C. WHITESELL, JR. 

